10 facts you didn't know about your skin

You might be pretty well-versed when it comes to caring for your skin, but how much do you really know about this organ? Today, we’re going to surprise you with a few facts you might have not previously known about your skin. Some of this information will truly surprise you!

1. It’s the largest organ in your body

Your skin spans 22 square feet, which makes it significantly larger than your second largest organ, the liver.

2. You start aging at 20

If you associate getting older with being in your 40s or 50s we’ve got bad news for you. Once you hit 25 your collagen levels can start to slowly deplete which might result in the appearance of sagging skin and the onset of fine lines. Antioxidants such as Vitamin C can help maintain young, healthy-looking skin.

3. Sleeping can possibly give you wrinkles

Sleep is good for you —it helps your body repair and rebuild. Nevertheless, if you sleep on your side or on your stomach you could be applying pressure to your face which can contribute to the appearance of wrinkles.

4. You skin has three layers

We always talk about the skin as if it’s only layer but it’s made up of three; the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis.

5. Skin helps regulate temperature

6. Dark spots can develop on your skin

It’s extremely important to wear broad-spectrum SPF 15 or higher starting in your teens and 20s. Sun spots can show up quickly on your skin and can increase with more sun exposure, making them even harder to get rid of.

7. We shed thousands of skin cells each minute

An incredible 30,000 to 40,000 per minute — wow!

8. Your skin has varying levels of thickness

Your eyelids have the thinnest skin while the palms and soles of your feet are the thickest.

9. You can switch skin types

Even if you’ve had the same exact skin type your whole life things like hormonal imbalance, climate change, and age can make your skin go from one type to another.

10. Genetics don’t determine how your skin ages

A lot of people attribute how quickly their skin ages to their genetics, but it turns out that external factors play a huge role in skin aging. Sun exposure can account for almost 90 percent of premature aging and other factors such as pollution and smoking can factor into how quickly your skin ages.